49ers Expected To Retain Mac Jones

Although 49ers quarterback Mac Jones entered the offseason as a potential trade candidate, he has stayed put so far. That is not expected to change, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The market for Jones has not “heated up,” Schefter adds.

As a first-round rookie in 2021, Jones got off to a promising start in helping lead the Patriots to the postseason. There was hope the Patriots had found a long-term successor to Tom Brady, but Jones’ career hit the skids in his second year. After he struggled in New England through 2023, the team traded him to Jacksonville for a sixth-round in the ensuing draft. The change of scenery did not work out for Jones, who struggled over 10 games and seven starts while filling in for an injured Trevor Lawrence.

While Jones’ stock remained relatively low going into free agency last March, he still scored a two-year, $7MM pact with San Francisco. The 49ers did not make the highest offer for Jones, but he turned down less to land in a good spot under offensive guru Kyle Shanahan. For the second straight year, Jones had to step in for an injured starter. It worked out far better in 2025. With Brock Purdy missing nine games, Jones posted a 5-3 record at the helm and recorded some of the best numbers of his career. The 27-year-old completed 69.6% of passes, averaged 7.4 yards per attempt, tossed 13 touchdowns against six interceptions, and put up a 97.4 traditional rating and 62.3 QBR.

After Jones helped them earn a playoff berth last year, the 49ers reportedly tagged him with an “astronomical” asking price. As of early March, they wanted at least a second-rounder for Jones. Nobody has met their demands, and with offseason QB movement mostly finished, it does not appear anyone will.

Aside from the Steelers, who are waiting on Aaron Rodgers, everyone has a starting quarterback or at least a competition in place a few months in advance of training camp. The Colts kept Daniel Jones around on a pricey contract to remain their starter. Elsewhere, the Dolphins (Malik Willis), Vikings (Kyler Murray), Falcons (Tua Tagovailoa), Raiders (Kirk Cousins), Jets (Geno Smith) and Cardinals (Gardner Minshew) have all brought in notable veteran signal-callers. All of those players will either open next season as a starter or vie with an in-house signal-caller for the job. Meanwhile, unless the Browns veer away from their planned Shedeur Sanders–Deshaun Watson battle, Jones probably is not a fit in Cleveland. That’s likely fine with the 49ers, who have been content to keep Jones all along.

When asked in January about a potential Jones trade, Shanahan said: “As any player on our team, including myself and John (Lynch), you always listen to people and trade offers, but we’re also not into getting rid of good players. So, I’d be very surprised if Mac wasn’t around us next year.”